Editorial Review

You'll find everything you forgot from school--as well asplenty you never even learned--in this all-purpose reference book, aninstant classic when it first appeared in 1987. The updated versiontakes a whirlwind tour through 12 different disciplines, from Americanstudies to philosophy to world history. Along the way, Judy Jones andWilliam Wilson provide a plethora of useful information, from the plotof Read more

Reviews (59)

More Here Than You Can Ever Know
No, you probably didn't learn all of these 3,684 tidbits. If you had you would have been an excellent player of 'Trivial Persuit' but your brain would probably have been fried.
Study this curricum and have fun doing so!
I just finished the taped version of AN INCOMPLETE EDUATION
A Great Book
This book can be viewed as either a repository of interesting knowledge or as a way to one up people in conversation at cocktail parties.There are chapters to correspond with the major departments in a liberal arts college (art, literature, economics, etc.)This is a guide to everything that you learned in college and forgot (or everything you should have learned but skipped out on).If you are still in high school, read this book--you will be able to easily impress your teachers with college-level knowledge.I cannot wait for the new edition to be released! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Curiosities & Wonders    2. Encyclopedias    3. Encyclopedias (Multi-Subject)    4. Handbooks, vade-mecums, etc    5. Reference    6. Research    7. Trivia    8. Reference / Encyclopedias   

Reviews (6)

Guiness World Records - 2007
Overall, this work is perfect for the student in your house. It has a
Fun Reading
I'm giving this book four out of five stars because the vast majority of the material is interesting, not the least offensive, and gets kids to read.The one picture of Janet and Justin shows less skin than many pictures of the athletes.Yes, it was a poor choice in topic by Guinness and they need to be made aware they are pandering to the lowest common denominator there (and we don't appreciate it), BUT overall, the book simply acknowledges the huge variety of life to be found on this planet.I do agree a better title would be something like Guinness Guide to the Weird and Extreme.
Decided not to buy
I almost bought this book for my children (ages 1-11) through our school's Scholastic book program but decided to wait and review it here first. I'm glad I did.
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Subjects:  1. Curiosities & Wonders    2. Curiosities and wonders    3. General    4. Reference    5. Trivia    6. Wonders And Curiosities    7. Reference / General   

Reviews (42)

THIS IS JUST A WONDERFUL BOOK
and it leaves you feeling so darned good after you read it.The main characters, Owen, a baby hippo, and Mzee, a 130 year old Aldabra tortoise, form a remarkably close bond which continues to this day (and can be followed in their caretaker's diary on the website of Laforge Ecosystems, that lost nearly 250 employees in the December 16, 2004 tsunami, and which contributed to Owen's washing up on a coral reef in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Malindi, Kenya).
Owen & Mzee
This is a wonderful story, to be enjoyed by both children and adults. The message is universal and inspirational showing that friendship has no boundries. The book is well illustrated with some incredible pictures.

Every household must have this book
I saw the book while waiting for my flight in the San Francisco airport bookstore.It is just one of those books that grabs every one of every age.A baby hippo is stranded by the huge tsunami, and is rescued and befriended by a most unusual pal. It just oozes goodness and the real life photos are marvelous.As a former elem. school teacher, I've seen many books and this is one of the must haves. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aldabra tortoise    2. Animals - General    3. Animals - Mammals    4. Animals - Reptiles & Amphibians    5. Behavior    6. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    7. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    8. Children: Grades 1-2    9. Curiosities & Wonders    10. Hippopotamus    11. Juvenile Nonfiction    12. Juvenile literature    13. Kenya    14. Social behavior in animals    15. Juvenile Nonfiction / Animals / General   

Reviews (32)

MAGICAL!
This book is a lot of fun, as it reveals magic(fiction) to be true.

The Ologies are Awesome!
This is third of the "ologies" I have purchased for my 13 year old daughter. We gave her the Dragonology and Egyptology books for Christmas. They are all three gorgeous books that she enjoys over and over. To call this a pop-up book really doesn't do it justice. All kinds of little pockets, notes, baubles, decorations, and such. WELL worth the money.

Entertaining and Fun
This book is well made and visually appealing.Not only a reading pleasure but a pleasureable reading experience that makes it a great book to share with someone. My daughter and I enjoyed the fun of discovering it together. She loved uncovering all of the secret flaps, and reading all of the surprises. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Curiosities & Wonders    5. Juvenile Folk Tales / Mythology / Fables    6. Juvenile General And Reference Works    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Magic    9. Merlin (Legendary character)    10. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    11. Specimens    12. Toy and movable books    13. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Editorial Review

From primordial nothingness to this very moment, Read more

Reviews (471)

The Joy of Educational Remediation
This is one of the books I wished someone would write.My knowledge of science past and present was wanting and yet there wasn't a single book written for (and by) someone in the same boat.Bill Bryson has written such a book and brillantly over-achieved in the process.In the spirit of full disclosure, I like nearly everything Mr. Bryson has written.He can be pedantic and peevish when describing the less than admirable characters and circumstances he encounters but he's always very funny.Having said that, this physically ponderous tome made me wonder whether he could sustain his humor while at the same time educating the reader over all those hundreds of pages.Miraculously, his choice of anecdotes and pacing is spot on.It is extremely readable and there are wonderful factoids and "ah ha" moments on nearly every page.Life is short and this book is not but it's absolutely worth the trade-off.

Fun and engaging history of modern science
Well written and fun to read.Bill Brysons style really creates a nice true story, complete with the quirks and oddities of the charecters depicted.Highly recomended if you are interested in the history of science, or if you just enjoy a fun and educational read.

A Good Read for the Basics
This is a good book.And, like all Bill Bryson's work, it is wonderfully written with such a sense of humor! Bryson is very good at finding facts as well as funny historical anecdotes and idiosyncrasies.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. Philosophy & Social Aspects    4. Popular works    5. Questions & Answers    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Trivia   

Reviews (27)

perfect for getting kids to read
I bought this for my nephew for his 10th birthday. When he opened it he said "now I can take my name off the list at the library cause I OWN it" For the rest of the party he regaled us all reading from the book. In the hour he owned the book he learned several new words. What a great way to get kids to read.

Perfect gift book forlittle boys!
My nephew LOVED it. I expected more pictures and less text but it didn't bother the 8 year old. He got tons of thrills just from the kid picking his nose on the cover. Perfect gift for a wild little boy along with a container of that oozing slime you get at Walmart. (the fits of giggles from the booger jokes are worth everything)

It's nasty and the kids love it
I bought this for my classroom bookshelf. I teach 7th grade science and my kids fight with each other to read it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aversion    2. Children's 9-12 - Science    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Curiosities & Wonders    6. Encyclopedias, Juvenile    7. Handbooks, vade-mecums, etc    8. Handbooks, vade-mecums, etc.    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Miscellaneous    12. Reference - Encyclopedias    13. Science & Technology - General    14. Encyclopaedias & reference works    15. Humour & jokes    16. JUVENILE NONFICTION / Reference / Encyclopedias    17. JUVENILE NONFICTION / Science & Nature / General (see also headings under Animals or Technology)    18. Juvenile Nonfiction / Curiosities & Wonders    19. Natural history & pets   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Curiosities & Wonders    5. Curiosities and wonders    6. General    7. Juvenile General And Reference Works    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Reference - General    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / General   

Reviews (16)

Decent Companion to Dragonology
I originally bought this for my nephews, who have a fascination with dragons and such at the moment. It's definitely a result of the Harry Potter phenomenon, but the similarity ends at its "magical" quality. Its intent is the opening of minds to the hidden worlds of the imagination, and a rekindling of young peoples' interests in areas of mythology and classic literature. Supposedly the work of the last dragonmaster, the book aims to dispel the myths on dragons, recalling Hagrid's comments that they are "very misunderstood creatures". While Dragonology has lots of bells and whistles and moving parts, this is, as it says, more a handbook, and not as fun as its predecessor. It is great for stimulating the imagination of children (of all ages, apparently), but it's a slightly more involved text than Dragonology, and therefore likely to appeal to children 10+. It's artwork and some of its content appears based on The Flight of Dragons, by Peter Dickinson, upon which Discovery's Dragon's World DVD was also based. Both of these are great additions to this book, if you can get them.

The Perfect Companion to "Dragonology"
I love this book! I think it might even be more fun than "Dragonology"! The illustrations are still excellent and all the dragon lore is there, but this time, you get to apply your knowledge! The Dragonology Handbook teaches you how to be a Dragonologist through puzzles, dragon riddles, and learning how to write in Dragon runes. The book also has more information on the different dragon species and some other species that weren't described in "Dragonology". It also says where these dragons can be found and what they prey on.
Very good companion to Dragonology
This book is very clever. It expands on the topics covered in "Dragonology". There are items to pull out and there is another section on dragon writing to translate. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - General    2. Animals - Mythical    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Curiosities & Wonders    6. Dragons    7. Fantasy - General    8. Fiction - Fantasy    9. Juvenile General And Reference Works    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. Juvenile literature    12. Reference - General    13. Specimens    14. Toy and movable books    15. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Anthologies   

Reviews (94)

WHAT A DELIGHTFUL BOOK - WOULD BE A GREAT PRESENT FOR THE DRAGON LOVER
I was truely impressed with this offering.This is a wonderful little book about just what the title indicates "Dragonology."The entire book is producted in a sort of medieval mode, with wonderful illustrations.The books if filled with maps, puzzels, drawings, anatomy lessons (dragons of course), life styles (again, dragons) types, habits, origins, lore and even riddles.The work is quite a combination of originality and pure imagination from the author.This is one of those books that might first appear to be classified as juvinal, but it is so much more.The art work alone is worth the price of the book.The text is imaginative yet quite realistic in it's presentation.As I said, I was truely impressed with this one and highly recommend it.This would make a wonderful gift for any lover of dragons, dragon lore or for that matter just a fun read.

LET YOUR IMAGINATION SORE!
If you like dragons, this is for you. Dragonology is a book for any age. It's cool that they show dragon skin and dragon dust. This book gave me more info on dragons, and I believe in dragons. I read in one night and I am always going back to it. I love dragons more, than I did, before I read the book. This book will leave you with all smiles.

Fascinating look at the "real" world of the legendary dragon
"Authored" by noted dragonologist "Dr. Ernest Drake," "Dragonology" is a short but concise "encyclopedia" for anyone interested in the winged creatures of international lore.Divided into eight chapters, covering such diverse topics as "dragons of the world," "dragon biology and physiology," and "dragon behaviour," the book is profusely illustrated and generously features such hands-on additions as "dragon dust" and pieces of "dragon skin," all designed to satisfy even the casual dragon fan.
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Subjects:  1. Animals - General    2. Animals - Mythical    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Curiosities & Wonders    6. Dragons    7. Juvenile General And Reference Works    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Reference - General    11. Specimens    12. Toy and movable books    13. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Reviews (3)

Know EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING
I have had this book since I was about ten years old and it never gets old!! There are so many random facts in here that you can always learn something new.How did Houdini escape? Howcome lightbulbs are so strong? How do they analyze the handwriting of kidnapers? How do people fake UFO sightings? It really is incredible - a must for every inquisitive kid (or adult) on your gift list!

If You Can Read Then Buy This Book!
Plain and simple: This book is a must for every human being that can read.Either for rainy Sunday afternoons or for a bathroom book. Get this book!!!

A Great Book for All Ages!
I first saw this book at a friend's house and really enjoyed looking at it.Even children who are not able to read yet can learn lots of things just by looking at the pictures.It tells about everything from the ballin a ball-point pen, to how people figure out what the speed-limit shouldbe for cars on high-ways, etc.I would encourage anyone who likes to learnabout different things to pick up this book and give it a try! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Applied Sciences    2. Curiosities and wonders    3. General    4. Medicine    5. Miscellanea    6. Reference    7. Science    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Technology    10. Technology (General)   

Reviews (4)

Interesting Facts
Have you ever thought up a question so completely off-the-wall, so seemingly ridiculous, that you couldn't even find the courage to ask it? Maybe at the sports bar you were transported by the beauty of your beer to wonder, "How long could I live on beer alone?" Or looking up at the night sky, you had a moment of angst, "What would happen if the moon suddenly disappeared."
For the curious mind
This book is great if you're the type who doesn't accept the "status quo" answer to questions. If you don't accept something because everyone else does, but you investigate it and like to know more about the why's behind the what's, you'll love this book.
Fantastic read for anyone that ever wondered why
A friend sent me the European version of this book for Xmas and I was blown away. How much does your head weigh? Why is snot green?This book not only provides factual, scientificaly proven answers to these questions but also is a fun and page-turning read. New Scientist is a great Brit publication so you know that the answers have real authority.
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Subjects:  1. Form - Essays    2. General    3. Humor    4. Reference    5. Trivia    6. Humor / General   

Reviews (23)

A Fun, Easy & Educational Read for All Ages
What a great little book!Based on a series of History Minutes developed to air on The History Channel, every two-page spread of this little gem provides a short, easy-to-read and very interesting story-behind-the-story that most of us don't know.
Who'da thought?!
Some simply amazing stories.My ten-year old son chose this book for his "bedtime reading".Educational AND Entertaining.

Fun facts to share with others...
This is the most fun to read and 'trivia contest' your friends with! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Curiosities & Wonders    2. History    3. History - General History    4. Military    5. Military - General    6. Miscellanea    7. Reference    8. World history    9. History / Reference   

Subjects:  1. Form - Essays    2. Form - Parodies    3. Humor    4. Trivia    5. Humor / Parodies    6. Reference works    7. Trivia & quiz question books   

Editorial Review

For nine years, four books, and nearly 4,000 pages, Diana Gabaldon has entranced readers with her talent for historical authenticity, dramatic plot lines, and strong characters in the Read more

Reviews (138)

The Outlandish companion
It was not what I thought it would be after all. I am glad I read it though. It is heplful explaining about how the author came up with the ideas for her novels and etc.. It was also interesting to know what sort of research she did for the novels or series of novels. I loved the photos of the places she went to for the information re:the sights she referred to in the novels. That was also interesting. I was hoping for a continuation of the series that was why I was a little disappointed about the actual book with this title.
Invaluable, but a bit over the top
As it has been years since I read the 4th book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, I found The Outlandish Companion invaluable for synopses of the first 4 books.I also have made extensive use of the Scots-Gaelic "Dictionary" and the secondary character descriptions came in handy for refreshing my memory.I suppose some might find Jamie and Claire's horoscopes interesting or fun, but I thought that was a bit over the top.Still, for fans of her books, if like me, you get behind it's nice to have a reference.Ms. Gabaldon is an excellent researcher, so I suppose she can be forgiven if she gets a little carried away.

SCOTLAND RULES!
I adore the "OUTLANDER" series and this companion book just makes this series that much sweeter!Long live Jamie & Claire!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th Century American Novel And Short Story    2. American - General    3. Authorship    4. Books and reading    5. Fraser, Jamie (Fictitious char    6. Fraser, Jamie (Fictitious character)    7. Gabaldon, Diana    8. Historical fiction    9. Literary Criticism    10. Literature - Classics / Criticism    11. Randall, Claire (Fictitious ch    12. Randall, Claire (Fictitious character)    13. Reference    14. English    15. Fiction / General    16. Novels, other prose & writers: from c 1900 -    17. Trivia & quiz question books    18. USA    19. Fiction    20. Popular American Fiction    21. Romance - Time Travel   

Reviews (1)

Another great book from Grof
I first became very interested in the work of Stanislav Grof because of my own experines with non-ordinary states.He is perhaps a member of a small, yet increasing, group of academics that are not chained by the current mechanical scientism paradigm.In this book, he reflects on decades of research and experines that shatter that paradigm.The writiting style is very warm and clear.This is a very exciting book and enchances many of his other books.I would suggest that anyone with a curious nature and open mind read his books. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Astral projection    2. Biography    3. Body, Mind & Spirit    4. Coincidence    5. Curiosities & Wonders    6. General    7. Movements - Transpersonal    8. New Age    9. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    10. Occult Sciences    11. Parapsychologists    12. Parapsychology - ESP (Clairvoyance, Precognition, Telepathy)    13. Parapsychology - Near-Death Experience    14. United States    15. Wonders And Curiosities    16. Miscellaneous Items   

Reviews (9)

Feldman does it again!
As a kid, asking inumerable "stupid" questions was sure to get a weary "Go look it up" from a parent. Unfortunately, as a kid, I didn't have the innumerable resources at the fingertips of the Imponderables crew. As always, David Feldman and his team of information hunters have compiled questions from all over, some of which kept me going until I read the answer!
Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know..And Then Some
Do Penguins Have Knees? is a great book with a great concept.It answers all of life's little imponderables that you always wanted to know the answer to but never knew who to ask.The questions range from, "Why do cats like to be scratched behind the ears?" to "How did they keep beer cold in the Old West?".In the back of the book are Frustables (Imponderables that have not been solved), a Frustable update (new answers to old Frustables), an index to this book, and an index to all of the other Imponderables book.Why someone would put all of that in a book beats me.You look at the big book only to find that 1/3 is spent on things other than Imponderables (such as the complete index to all of the books, which I think is a stupid idea).The only flaw in this book is that there might even be too much information.They give you the answer and they keep rambling on. Some of the answers took up 2-3 pages when they had answered the Imponderable on the first page.Also, all of the names and places where they come from, for example: Bob Smith from the University of Learning Things in Yourtown, USA, seemed to clutter up the page and take away from the answer.I think this book had a great concept, but with a poor format.

Pondering the Imponderables
The author has a good formula going here.He takes an offbeat question and consults various experts, coming up with a plausible answer.Most of these I never would have thought to ask, but I still found myself intrigued by the answers.
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Subjects:  1. Curiosities & Wonders    2. General    3. Humor    4. Questions & Answers    5. Questions and answers    6. Reference    7. Games / Trivia   

Reviews (2)

interesting and informative
Excellent reading - easy to read a little, stop and come back (like read a section before bed at night) Answers a lot of question in an understandable way!

For the enquiring mind
If you enjoy learning about how things are made and how they work, then you will find this book a treasure trove of information. It goes beyond the more elementary "How Things Work" series, because it also covers the history, manufacture, materials, quality control, future evolution, and additional reading for many common household and technical objects. Behind its clever denim jeans pocket-clad cover, the book presents an alphabetical arrangement of items from airbags to zippers, including pencils, salsa, tires, helicopters, compact discs, lightbulbs, and many more.Read more

Subjects:  1. Curiosities & Wonders    2. General    3. Industrial arts    4. Manufactures    5. Manufacturing    6. Manufacturing processes    7. Popular works    8. Reference    9. Popular science    10. Production engineering    11. Reference / Curiosities & Wonders    12. Reference works    13. Technology: General Issues   

Reviews (2)

Very Entertaining!
This book has become a well-known companion in my bathroom! I have had a number of visitors comment on the interesting and often little known facts you find in this book. There is quite a bit of information you can gain just by occassionally glancing through its pages. It has replaced many of the magazines we used to keep in the bathroom with one single book instead!

Book Review, 9A, Bradbury
This book was very trivial. It was also humourous. It would be an very good book to get material to develop a comedy routine for. It is not in fact a bathroom reader for say, one could read this as a humourous read to class reader, or just to make fun of the stupid law suites. If you are looking to gain some completley random knowledge, or just to laugh, I highly reccomend this book.
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Subjects:  1. American wit and humor    2. Curiosities and wonders    3. General    4. Humor    5. Topic - Adult    6. Humor / Topic / Adult    7. Humour   

Reviews (15)

What the Heck?
[...]
A Truly Stellar Work!
This is a book I wish I had when I was a child.The mother and child featured in this story are beautifully illustrated and I like the intelligent conversations they have about improper touching, whether or not it is sexual.
Not a preschool book
After reading the reviews, I ordered this book thinking that it would be appropriate for my 3-year old.It seems too advanced for a child that age.There is a part of the book where the girl does not want her uncle to touch her because he holds her in his lap and rubs her arms and makes her uncomfortable, and another picture where her older brother "pins her down," and tickles her until it hurts, so the father has to tell him to stop.The mother also warns the child that others might want to take pictures of her private parts.While I understand that these are important illustrations of unwanted behavior, they don't seem right for a younger child.The text is also geared toward a school-aged child. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Body, Human    2. Child molesting    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Curiosities & Wonders    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Prevention    9. Privacy    10. Psychological aspects    11. Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare    12. Body & health   

Editorial Review

What began as a fortuitous discovery, when BBC researcher Adam Jacot de Boinod noticed that an Albanian dictionary contained 27 different words each for eyebrows and mustache, has become, after his obsessive 18-month journey through hundreds of foreign dictionaries, a very funny and genuinely informative guide to the world's strangest--and most useful--words. There are many books out there that invent, Sniglets-style, the words that the English language doesn't have but needs. What Read more

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Reviews (10)

good idea, but...
Several other reviewers have uttered the point I was going to make... the idea is nice, but the examples are, at least for a part, inaccurate... I can only speak for the languages I know and haven't read the whole book from cover to cover yet. But when I already found several undeniable errors, my willingness to read it cover to cover dwindled a bit. Someone already mentioned "Scheissenbedauern" which I have never heard although my mother tongue is German, also "agobilles" isn't German at all, but what really make me shake my head in big doubt was the word "allahaismarladik" (in the chapter "fare well") which according to the author is Wagiman (Australian aborigine language) - "to clear off without telling anyone wher eyou are going". Either this guy does not have any idea, or mislayed his dictionaries, or he is incorporating practical jokes on the less informed reader. Any Turkish speakers here? This word simply means "good bye" (literally "we send you away with God" - notice the word "Allah"?, and the usual answer to this is "güle güle" meaning "laugh, laugh").
Is this book's author a "schlimazl"?
I must say that as someone who loves both language and learning about other cultures, I found the concept behind THE MEANING OF TINGO irresistible. Unique words from other cultures expressing foreign values? The Albanians have 27 different words for moustache types? Excellent!
inaccurate
I agree with other reviewers that the idea is quite nice, but the research has been very sloppy. As a native german speaker, I found that he got about 40% of the German examples wrong. For instance, the word 'scheissbedauern' simply does not exist in German -- as one might verify by picking up any German-English dictionary. (Upon googling, one finds that this word has appeared in the literature -- but only in the American literature.) Hopefully, some later edition of the book will fix these kind of problems.
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Subjects:  1. Foreign words and phrases    2. General    3. Humor    4. Language    5. Language Arts & Disciplines    6. Language and languages    7. Reference    8. Satire And Humor    9. Trivia    10. Vocabulary    11. Reference / Word Lists    12. Bargain